𝒲𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝐹𝓊𝓉𝓊𝓇𝑒 𝐻𝑜𝓁𝒹𝓈 𝐹𝑜𝓇 𝒰𝓈 *Slow Updates*

Chapter Twenty

I apologize for the delayed chapter, so much is happening in my current life. I'm in a predicament right now, but I hope this chapter holds you off for now. Art is NOT mine. All credits go to the artist, whomever they may be.

Word count: 1143

"Miss Dupain-Cheng!"

A ruler struck the desk of the very sleepy ebony-haired teen, who immediately awakens, jolting up, her eyes frantically searching around.

The class erupts into giggles and snorts of her actions, though she truly didn't mean for it to happen. Ms. Mandaleiv glowered down at her, deliberately glaring at her as if she was offended that she accidentally fell asleep during her lesson. She probably was, the woman did judge those who didn't pay attention.

"I-I'm sorry, Ms. Mandaleiv-"

"Save your excuses for detention, Miss Dupain-Cheng. I'm not tolerating your insolence any longer, " The purple-haired woman scowled, her thin lips in a tight line. "Pack your things and go to Mr. Damocles' office."

Marinette whimpered internally, obeying her teacher as quickly she possibly could. She could feel her peers staring at her as she slipped her notes and textbook into her bag. She rose from her seat and headed for the door.

She stifled back a fierce yawn. It's not like she could help it, anyway. She ended up going to bed way later than she anticipated. Heck, she hadn't since or heard from Luka since then, er, as Viperion, that is.

It's the terrible price for being Ladybug, it takes precious sleep.

Marinette may have been lucky enough to wake up in time and not be late to school. She got two hours of sleep, at the most. It wasn't much, but at least it was something. She and Viperion were out quite late last night, not that it was their fault, it was very late. In a way, Marinette held a pang of guilt because of it. The ebony-haired girl had debated - between Luka and Alya.

Perhaps, in time, Rena Rogue could roam the rooftops of Paris with Ladybug, Chat Noir, and Viperion.

It was one of many things she still felt guilty for, not choosing her best friend to be a superhero.

.

.

.

"Hello again, Miss Dupain-Cheng, how may I help you today?" The owl-like principal gestured for the teen to sit.

"I may have fallen asleep during-" Marinette goes to explain herself, but this powerful yawn abruptly cut her off. It was inevitable to stifle it. "-Ms. Mandeliev's lecture."

"Hm. We've had this talk before, Marinette, " The authoritative man gave her this knowing stern look. "You must get your sleeping schedule under wraps. Your grades will slip." He folded his hands together.

"I know-look, I had a lot of homework to do, it's why I stayed up. I'm sorry I fell asleep, I didn't realize I dozed off until Ms. Mandaleiv pummeled me."

Mr. Damocle lifted his hand, silencing the student. "You're a wonderful student, Marinette. I've noticed you've worked harder, and with a determination that your grades have sky-rocketed." Marinette felt a hope tingle within her chest until the man continued. "However, these late-night tumbles have gotten, and are getting you into trouble. For now, I won't be disciplining you. I do want you to focus on your mental health and your schoolwork. Being exhausted enough to sleep in class, well, no teacher favors the tired."

"...I-I understand, Mr. Damocle. " She hung her head down in shame, her cheeks burning with humiliation, despite all the good he listed off for her.

"Nonetheless, I will allow you, just this once, to rest in the nurse's office, " The owl-like man says, smiling behind his mustache. "I'll speak to the teacher of your next lesson. We shouldn't have tired students."

A moment of silence and Mr. Damocle's pen flying over a hall pass slip, and then finally a tearing of the paper.

"Here you are, Marinette. Go rest up."

"Thank you, Mr. Damocle."

~

Marinette trudged into the nurse's office, stifling a powerful yawn. She'd still been reeling over the baffling discussion. Never before had she been given a freebie because she snoozed in class.

"Oh, hello, dear, " A pretty woman with a stylish red bob dressed in school-issued scrubs appears with a kind expression. "How are you this morning? Is everything going okay?"

"Oh..." Marinette felt at a loss here. Who was this woman? She'd never seen her before. "I kinda...sorta fell asleep in class, and I was given a pass to come here and take a short nap."

She hands the slip to her.

"Oh! Well, fortunately for you, our cot has just been freed, " She smiles brightly, perhaps far kinder than Marinette was used to. "I'll wake you in an hour, 'kay?"

Marinette nodded numbly, her limbs feeling sluggish as she walked past the curtain that hid the bed, in the far corner of the office. The cot squeaks under the newfound weight, especially when Marinette shifts her bag off her shoulders and onto the ground below.

Man, she was really tired.

More so than she possibly had ever been. Situating herself, Marinette adjusts her body fully onto the cot. Sleep lured her quickly.

And the second her head touched that stiff and prickly pillow, Marinette was out like a light.

~

"I just don't understand, " Frustrated, Lila Rossi roams the halls of Françoise Dupont, emitting an aura of pure annoyance, which made other students cautiously avoid her. "I've tried everything! What does she have that I don't?!"

Muttering under her breath seemed to earn her more space in the halls than she deserved. Tch. Everything was so wrong here, they were supposed to give her the attention a celebrity is flanked all around for!

Her Adrien had been snagged by not that cruddy Marinette girl, but by another girl who had no intentions of giving him up...so easily. But, she'd make it her mission to steal her handsome blond model back. That fricking floozy! Why did she have to be so condescending?! She couldn't remember her name at all! Maybe she could get by with tiny, degrading names. After all, Lila Rossi does not back down from a fight, nor a war.

It was fairly easy to gain the rest of the class's trust with a promise here and there. Food, money, whatever. All she had to do was pin up a sweet smile and they were like putty in her hands, again. Though she believed few unwilling souls resisted her charms and gifts, yet they stayed the silent no-names they were.

And that silly Dupain-Cheng! Acting all righteous and heroic at the party Adrien hosted. That boy she'd been with was certainly a looker and wasn't usually attracted to boys in eyeliner or nail polish or skinny jeans. But, he certainly pulled the punk-rock look off.

"Huh?" Lila perks up, catching a glimpse of a certain ebony-haired girl skulk into the infirmary.

A smirk splits her olive-tinted face, ideas already sprouting into her mind. Well, wasn't this a wonderful surprise?